Stabilizing panel

Abstract

A stabilizing mat includes a first surface configured to inhibit movement of items placed thereon. The first surface includes a plurality of first parallelogram areas and a plurality of depressions. Each of the first parallelogram areas includes one of the depressions at a center of the first parallelogram area. Each of the first parallelogram areas further includes four first parallelogram corners and four first parallelogram sides. Each of the first parallelogram corners of the first parallelogram areas includes a protruding peak. Each of the protruding peaks is separated from an adjacent one of the protruding peaks by a concavity. Each of the concavities defines one of the depressions. The mat also includes a second surface including a plurality of substantially flat areas configured to rest on a flat foundation to provide support to the items placed on the first surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A stabilizing mat, comprising:
 a first surface configured to inhibit movement of items placed thereon, the first surface comprising a plurality of first parallelogram areas and a plurality of depressions, each of the first parallelogram areas comprising one of the depressions at a center of the first parallelogram area, each of the first parallelogram areas further comprising four first parallelogram corners and four first parallelogram sides, each of the first parallelogram corners of the first parallelogram areas comprising a protruding peak, each of the protruding peaks being separated from an adjacent one of the protruding peaks by a concavity, each of the concavities defining one of the depressions; and 
 a second surface comprising a plurality of substantially flat areas; 
 wherein a first one of the concavities between two of the protruding peaks has a constant first radius of curvature about a first axis, 
 wherein a second one of the concavities between another two of the protruding peaks has a constant second radius of curvature about a second axis; and 
 when the second surface rests on a flat foundation, the second surface is configured to support the first surface such that the depressions inhibit movement of items placed thereon, and when the protruding peaks of the first surface rest on the flat foundation, the first surface is configured to support the second surface to support the items. 
 
     
     
       2. The mat of  claim 1 , wherein each of the protruding peaks is connected to an adjacent one of the protruding peaks by the concavity. 
     
     
       3. The mat of  claim 1 , wherein each of the protruding peaks is aligned longitudinally, transversely, and diagonally with respect to adjacent ones of the protruding peaks. 
     
     
       4. The mat of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface further comprises four first surface edges and four first surface corners, each of the first surface corners comprising one of the protruding peaks, each of the first surface edges comprising a plurality of the protruding peaks and a plurality of concavities. 
     
     
       5. The mat of  claim 1 , wherein the protruding peaks comprise a first set of the protruding peaks and a second set of the protruding peaks, the first set of the protruding peaks having an elevation that is greater than an elevation of the second set of the protruding peaks. 
     
     
       6. The mat of  claim 1 , wherein a midpoint between two of the protruding peaks defines a center of one of the depressions. 
     
     
       7. The mat of  claim 1 , wherein the second one of the concavities intersects the first one of the concavities, and the first axis and the second axis intersect each other. 
     
     
       8. The mat of  claim 7 , wherein the second one of the concavities perpendicularly intersects the first one of the concavities, and
 wherein the first axis and the second axis perpendicularly intersect each other. 
 
     
     
       9. The mat of  claim 8 , wherein the first axis is parallel to two opposing edges of the first surface, and
 wherein the second axis is parallel to two other opposing edges of the first surface. 
 
     
     
       10. The mat of  claim 8 , wherein the first radius of curvature is equal to the second radius of curvature. 
     
     
       11. The mat of  claim 1 , wherein each concavity is configured to separate one of the items placed on the first surface from an adjacent one of the items placed on the first surface. 
     
     
       12. The mat of  claim 11 , wherein each concavity is further configured to separate the one of the items from the adjacent one of the items to allow another one of the items to be supported by the one of the items and the adjacent one of the items. 
     
     
       13. The mat of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 male connecting sections positioned on two adjacent second surface edges of the second surface; and 
 female connecting sections positioned on two adjacent first surface edges of the first surface, 
 wherein the male connecting sections are positioned on sides of the second surface that oppose sides of the first surface on which the female connecting sections are positioned. 
 
     
     
       14. The mat of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface is diagonally offset about the second surface. 
     
     
       15. The mat of  claim 1 , wherein edges of the first surface are offset from edges of the second surface that are adjacent to the edges of the first surface. 
     
     
       16. A stabilizing mat system, comprising:
 a first mat comprising a first surface and a second surface, the first mat first surface being configured to inhibit movement of items placed thereon, the first mat first surface comprising a plurality of first mat first parallelogram areas and a plurality of first mat depressions, each of the first mat first parallelogram areas comprising one of the first mat depressions at a center of the first mat first parallelogram area, each of the first mat first parallelogram areas further comprising four first mat first parallelogram corners and four first mat first parallelogram sides, each of the first mat first parallelogram corners of the first mat first parallelogram areas comprising a first mat protruding peak, each of the first mat protruding peaks being separated from an adjacent one of the first mat protruding peaks by one of the first mat depressions, a first depression between two of the protruding peaks having a constant first radius of curvature about a first axis, and a second depression between another two of the protruding peaks having a constant second radius of curvature about a second axis, the first mat second surface comprising a plurality of first mat substantially flat areas and first mat male connecting sections, the first mat substantially flat areas being configured to rest on a flat foundation to provided support to the items placed on the first mat first surface, the first mat male connecting sections protruding from and being positioned on two adjacent first mat second surface edges of the first mat second surface; and 
 a second mat comprising a first surface and a second surface, the second mat first surface being configured to inhibit movement of items placed thereon, the second mat first surface comprising a plurality of second mat first parallelogram areas, a plurality of second mat depressions, and second mat female connecting sections protruding from and positioned on two adjacent second mat first surface edges of the second mat first surface, each of the second mat first parallelogram areas comprising one of the second mat depressions at a center of the second mat first parallelogram area, each of the second mat first parallelogram areas further comprising four second mat first parallelogram corners and four second mat first parallelogram sides, each of the second mat first parallelogram corners of the second mat first parallelogram areas comprising a second mat protruding peak, each of the second mat protruding peaks being separated from an adjacent one of the second mat protruding peaks by one of the second mat depressions, the second mat second surface comprising a plurality of second mat substantially flat areas configured to rest on the flat foundation to provided support to the items placed on the second mat first surface, 
 wherein one of the first mat male connecting sections is configured to mate with a corresponding one of the second mat female connecting sections. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a third mat comprising a first surface and a second surface, the third mat first surface being configured to inhibit movement of items placed thereon, the third mat first surface comprising a plurality of third mat first parallelogram areas and a plurality of third mat depressions, each of the third mat first parallelogram areas comprising one of the third mat depressions at a center of the third mat first parallelogram area, each of the third mat first parallelogram areas further comprising four third mat first parallelogram corners and four third mat first parallelogram sides, each of the third mat first parallelogram corners of the third mat first parallelogram areas comprising a third mat protruding peak, each of the third mat protruding peaks being separated from an adjacent one of the third mat protruding peaks by one of the third mat depressions, the third mat second surface comprising a plurality of third mat substantially flat areas and third mat male connecting sections, the third mat substantially flat areas being configured to rest on a flat foundation to provided support to the items placed on the third mat first surface, the third mat male connecting sections protruding from and being positioned on two adjacent third mat second surface edges of the third mat second surface, 
 wherein the first mat further comprises first mat female connecting sections protruding from and being positioned on two adjacent first mat first surface edges of the first mat first surface, the two adjacent first mat first surface edges on which the first mat female connecting sections are positioned being respectively opposed to the two adjacent first mat second surface edges on which the first mat male connecting sections are positioned, and 
 wherein one of the third mat male connecting sections is configured to mate with a corresponding one of the first mat female connecting sections. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a fourth mat comprising a first surface and a second surface, the fourth mat first surface being configured to inhibit movement of items placed thereon, the fourth mat first surface comprising a plurality of fourth mat first parallelogram areas and a plurality of fourth mat depressions, each of the fourth mat first parallelogram areas comprising one of the fourth mat depressions at a center of the fourth mat first parallelogram area, each of the fourth mat first parallelogram areas further comprising four fourth mat first parallelogram corners and four fourth mat first parallelogram sides, each of the fourth mat first parallelogram corners of the fourth mat first parallelogram areas comprising a fourth mat protruding peak, each of the fourth mat protruding peaks being separated from an adjacent one of the fourth mat protruding peaks by one of the fourth mat depressions, the fourth mat second surface comprising a plurality of fourth mat substantially flat areas and fourth mat male connecting sections, the fourth mat substantially flat areas being configured to rest on a flat foundation to provided support to the items placed on the fourth mat first surface, the fourth mat male connecting sections protruding from and being positioned on two adjacent fourth mat second surface edges of the fourth mat second surface; and 
 a fifth mat comprising a first surface and a second surface, the fifth mat first surface being configured to inhibit movement of items placed thereon, the fifth mat first surface comprising a plurality of fifth mat first parallelogram areas, a plurality of fifth mat depressions, and fifth mat female connecting sections protruding from and positioned on two adjacent fifth mat first surface edges of the fifth mat first surface, each of the fifth mat first parallelogram areas comprising one of the fifth mat depressions at a center of the fifth mat first parallelogram area, each of the fifth mat first parallelogram areas further comprising four fifth mat first parallelogram corners and four fifth mat first parallelogram sides, each of the fifth mat first parallelogram corners of the fifth mat first parallelogram areas comprising a fifth mat protruding peak, each of the fifth mat protruding peaks being separated from an adjacent one of the fifth mat protruding peaks by one of the fifth mat depressions, the fifth mat second surface comprising a plurality of fifth mat substantially flat areas configured to rest on the flat foundation to provided support to the items placed on the fifth mat first surface, 
 wherein another one of the first mat female connecting sections is configured to mate with a corresponding one of the fourth mat male connecting sections, 
 wherein another one of the first mat male connecting sections is configured to mate with a corresponding one of the fifth mat female connecting sections, 
 wherein the second mat is positioned on an opposite side of the first mat from the third mat, and 
 wherein the fourth mat is positioned on an opposite side of the first mat from the fifth mat. 
 
     
     
       19. The mat of  claim 1 , wherein the first one of the concavities is located between two adjacent protruding peaks and the second one of the concavities is located between another two adjacent protruding peaks. 
     
     
       20. The mat of  claim 1 , wherein the first one of the concavities is located between two diagonal protruding peaks and the second one of the concavities is located between another two diagonal protruding peaks.